Drive chain and links therefor



April 10, 1928. l,665,`8`08 R. F. Dow i DRIVE CHAIN AND LINKS THEREFOR Filed NOV. 17. 1922 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

Patented Apr. 10, 1928.

UNITED STATES RICHARD F. DOW", I

CO., 0F HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT,

OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE WHITNEY MFG.

A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

DRIVE CHAIN AND LINKS THEREFOR.

Application fliedl November 17, 1922.' Serial No. 601,463.

This invention relates to that class of chains which has its principal use in transmitting power, and specitic use in generating energy and timing valve sequences in motor vehicles.

Heretotore considerable stability, or strength, or link stiffness has been sacrificed in constructing a chain of this class containing an odd number of links, by interpolating a lateral offset section wherein the links at one end would register with the spaces between the links at the opposite end in joining the two ends. This condition is aggravated when using two odsetsections in chains of even numbers ot links to insure even distribution of wear on sprocket teeth.

I substantially overcome this difficulty by providing a link with a lateral oiiset less than the thickness of the link and employing, in a chain, a number of oiiset links such that the sum of the oiisets longitudinally of the chain approximately equals the thickness of a link.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2 represent one form of chain, 17, 17", 17C, 19a, 19h, 19C being oti'setlinks; Fig. 3 represents another form ot chain, in which 17 are offset links. Individually the oitsetlinks are ot the same exterior form in both chains, the arrangement being diiferent.

Referring, now, to the drawings, and first to Figs. 1 and 2, A indicates generally a transmission chain known as the silent type, and the major portion of which comprises straight links 10, some of which are shown as being arranged together in pairs, as at 10. Each link, in the form shown, comprises an intermediate portion 11 and end portions or heads 12, the end portions being provided with teeth 13 adapted to cooperate with a transmission gear (not shown). The heads of the links are each provided with an opening 11i, shown at the left of Fig. 2, or

an opening 15, shown at the right thereof.

J The link indicated in Fig. 2, with the opening 15, is a side link, while the link shown at the left of Fig. 2 is an intermediate link; the opening is, accordingly, indicated smaller in the link at the right than in the one at the left, for the reason that the side links are fast on the transverse pins, while a bushing is interposed between the pin and the link in the case of the intermediate links, as is well understood in the art. The links are connected by transverse pins 115,.l The special connection tor the chain made in accordance with my invention comprises, in the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, three special pitches, the links of which are connected b the pins 16a-16h, 16h- 160, and 16c-16d, tide pitches being indicated generally at B, C and D, respectively. The pitch C is formed of single straight links, as indicated, which links are overlapped at their ends with the ends of the links forming the pitches B and D, respectively. All of the links of each of the pitches B and D, which are of substantially the saine thickness as the straight links of the chain, are odset laterally intermediate the openings therein a distance less than the thickness of the link, and preferably a distance equal to substantially half its thickness. The pitch B, with the width of chain illustrated, comprises two single parallel offset links 17a, then two links 17", the lefthand ends of which engage eachother and the right-hand ends of which are lodset away from each other, the combinedoffsetting of the two links being equal to the thickness of a link., so that they embrace the end of the single link 18 ot the pitch C. The neXt link of the pitch B is a single link oset towards the right away from the center line. The links of the pitch B on the' opposite side of the center line are symmetrically arranged with respect to those already described and their arrangement need not be more fully described. The links at one side of the pitch D comprise a single offset link 19a and then two pairs ot double links 19"' and 19, arranged similarly to the links 17 b already de scribed, but reversely arranged. Similarly, the links on they opposite side of the center line of the pitch D are symmetrically arranged with respect to those already described. The chain is provided along the center line with guide links 20, the purpose and construction of which is well understood in the art, and need not be more fully described.

In the form shown in Figure 1, two straight links 21 oi half normal thickness are arranged on opposite sides ot the guide link 20 in the pitch C, the thickness of these links corresponding to the oltset of the links 17 c.

Referring, now, to Figure 3, the special connection com rises two special pitches B', D, the ends o the links of which are com nected to transverse pins 16', 16, 16"'. It is apparent that all of the links 17 of the pitches B and- D are oset, from left to right, towards the center of the chain, the links on opposite sides of the center line be# ixngsyinniet-rica-lly arranged.

In thecase of thepitcliBone of the links lies along the center line of the chain, While in the pitch D', the tWo inner links lie on opposite sides of the centerline.` In.Fig-

ure 3, a Washer 22 of the thicknessof a link is placed on'vthe pin 16 betweeni the central Oset link andthe straight link to the right thereof,v lookingr toward the right.

In transmission chains of the Vgeneral type hereiillustratedrso far as lamaware, spe-y cial conmectingl pitcheswhere the links` are offset, have had the-links offset atleast a distance cqualto thethickness of the links.

Such; an arrangement, however, is open to,

L pull'` on ithe links" when assembled in posiion inL the chainfand the excessive `offsetting tends to strightenithe links. In accordance with my inventiongvhere the links are offset awdistanc'e less i than the thickness thereof7 and preferablyequal to adistance approximately Yhalf` of the thickness thereof, both of. the` foregoing difficulties are largely overcome orV entirely obviated-that isto-sayi:

offsetting the links by approximately half ot their thickness dof-:snot materially vary the length-of the link and the links may be pierced before being punched,l Without det riment to thequalities ofthe chain. thermore, off-setting the links by a distanceapproximately equal: tohalt the thickness. thereof, does not weaken thelinksto an -ob jectionable extent. By,olf'setting the links a Vdistance less than the; thicknessl of 1the link, the: face of onev end of the vlink isoutsidethe plane off'eitber: face ofthe link at the other end andthe.`

total-offset ist-hcreiore less than ther thicknessiof-the link.

-WVhat I `claim and desired to ysecurev byv Letters Patent of the United States is.:

1 1i As anv article of manufact-ure, alink for 'transmission;chain 'of substantially uniform thickness throughout andl offset intermediate its ends so that both faces oi' the link at one end are outside the plane of *either face of the link at the other end.

27. A chain containing. al plurality of pitches of offset links corresponding in number Withthew number of offsets required to make` the thickness of a` link.

3'. A chain containing two pitches of offset links,I eachV offset being approximately half thethickness oit a link.

i 4. Achain containing,- pitches of offset links each. offset being` less than the thickness of a link, the offsets corresponding in number with the'number. of offsets required to make thethicknessl of a link, some of the offset links in the same Lpitch'beingotfset in opposite directions.

E 5.v Afchain. containing. pitches of `Ofl'set links connected by straightlinks, each offset being -lessthan the thicknessot a link' the number ofpitchesot offset links corresponding yWiththe numloerV of .offsets required to make the thickness of alink..

6.. A transmission chain the. major por-` tion ot `WliichIcomprises straight links connected by transverse pins, and includinoV at leastone pitch; the. links loflirhich are oifset intermediate their endsa total distanceequal to approximately half.theirfthickness, the offset i links being, of .substantially the same thickness as the straight links.

L A` transmission chain formed yotlinks connected by transverse .pins ,and comprisingtvvro pitchesethelinks of which are offset intermediate theirends a.dis.ta-nce equal to approxiinatelyehalfs their thickness, and a third pitchconnecting said first two pitches, the links. ofi said thirdptch being` straight.

8;. A transmission chain inivhich the links are.connected.by` transverse pins and com-` prising a pitch in which the links are offset intermediate their `ends a distance lessv than the thickness thereof7 the offset portions oi' certain of the links` being oppositely direeted tothose otrother links.

F 9.` Av'chai'n containing; apitch. .one end ot eachl offset-link ot Whichisoffset Witlrrespectftothe other end-thereof a total dis tance less 4than thelthickness ot thelink.

101A chain. containingr tivo pitches each composed ofa plurality oi-sideby side links.

oneend. oit-each linkbeing offset a total distancelessthant-he thickness of the link.

RICHARD r; now. 

